Lloyd's P.O.V
The guys looked pretty surprised as I entered the monastery, especially since I was sweating like crazy, grinning like a maniac. They were all sprawled in the gaming-room, looking at me expectantly.
"Gosh", Cole said,"What happened to you?"
I opened my mouth to speak but a laugh stopped me. Harumi's laugh. It was a pure and delightful sound that I've haven't heard for a long,long time. Or, maybe ever. But it was different. So happy. I turned right when she bounded over me, almost knocking the two of us.
"You're gonna pay for that", she said, feigning a glare at me,"I just ran a million steps across the monastery!"
"And you lost."I finished for her, a smile in my face. She looked like she was about to say something when she paused, smile faltering, finally realizing that she was here, in the middle of the room, in my arms, infront of my friends. Whoops.
She pushed me away backing away towards the exit,"Uh...Ill catch you later Lloyd."
I was about to run after her, but a staff blocked her way. She stiffened, realizing her escape would not go so planned,"Master Wu!"
Master Wu, my uncle, stood there with a smile, as he placed the staff between Harumi and the doorway. "Hello again, Harumi. Glad you are here."
Harumi stood as still as a statue, waiting to leave. I strode my way across the room, standing beside her in case she would make a run for it,"Master Wu—we really have to talk about—"
"Yes, the scrolls, I know", he said, his face grim now,"It seems that you and your mother have found a couple of scrolls that may help us."
"Help us with what?", Kai asked curiously
I exchanged a wary glance with Master Wu.
"To help us find your lost powers back."Master Wu said
Everyone except Wu and I gasped.
"But—",Jay said, as his eyes widened,"You said our powers would just return to us!"
"Indeed I did,"Master Wu said," But they have not. It has been quite a while."
"Its been 9 months Master,"Cole said glumly," and there hasn't been a slightest sign of our powers showing up."
Nya and I looked at each other sadly. We knew how hard this was for the guys. Even Kai, who has lost his powers before, was frustrated. I could tell, from all the groans and shouts whenever he was annoyed by something. But neither of us could do anything. They just had to keep trying, no matter what it takes.
"That's why I need to talk to you guys," I started slowly,"Everyone to the base!"
Everyone filed out, leaving only me and Harumi. Harumi shuffled nervously," So...can I go to my room now?"
I looked at her, arching my eyebrow. She groaned.
"Okay,Okay...I'll come with you."Harumi sighed.
I grinned, grabbing her wrist as I ran for it.
"Slow down! What is it with you and running?"she shouted.
I laughed,"What is it with you and complaining all the time! You're a part of out team now."
She looked at me through narrowed eyes,"Only for a week."
I smiled, if only she knew, I thought.
At the base...
We were all round the wide rectangular table, the scroll placed in the middle. As Harumi and I entered the room, they all looked expectantly at me. I refrained from sighing. Almost all of my life, I was the one who everyone had their eye on. Before I became the Green Ninja, everyone would stare at me back at Darkley's boarding school, because, who wouldn't stare at Ninjago's worst villain's son, who was, apparently, in an orphanage. Then, once I became the Green Ninja, it only became worse. Eyes were all over me. My friends looked up to me. And they still did. They still are.
I took a deep breath, making my way across the room. I stood at the head of the table, while Harumi stood exactly opposite from me. I felt a pang of disappointment, wanting her to be next to me. My mother was on my right, Master Wu was on my left, while the others were sprawled round the table. My mother looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back at her. She only then seemed to notice Harumi. She glanced at Harumi, who smiled a small, tentative smile at her. My mom nodded back and smiled at her, her eyes filled with deep concern in them. Her gaze shifted to me, and I pretended to be looking at the scroll instead of her and Rumi. She wasn't fooled. I could see it through my peripherals. A voice in my ear almost made me jump. Harumi's. How did I not notice her slipping next to me?
"Lloyd,"she whispered gently,"Where's your father?"
I tried to explain, but my thoughts felt fuzzy as I realized how close Harumi was to me. FOCUS. Her lips just inches from my ear, her hand on my shoulder, who would've thought, that after everything she did to us, after everything that happened to her, she was somehow right here, next to me, and I still had—
"Lloyd,"Harumi whispered slightly louder," Are you even listening to me?"
"Uh,"I said as I turned to face her. Big mistake. Our faces were just inches from each other. She seemed to notice that too, as she slightly backed away, to my disappointment. Wait...was she...turning red? Must just be my fantasies.
"Of course I was listening to you", I said, my voice low as my back leaned on the table, well aware that my mom was watching us, smiling, wait—why was she smiling? "I just didn't know how to say it without making it sound weird."
At first, her face tilted in confusion, trying to understand. After a few seconds, her mouth made a little o , her face changing to an expression that read, 'seriously?'
Accurate. I nodded, mirroring her exasperated expression.
"He's with Christofern isn't he?", she asked anyway. I nodded, showing a small sideways smile. She shook her head,"If he keeps on watering that poor plant, it's definitely gonna choke to death."
I don't even know why I laughed so much. I spluttered a laugh, shaking my head at her. Everyone looked at us. My mom tilted her head, looking curious. I flushed. great. Rumi clearly didn't like the attention, she half-heartedly tried to move away towards her original place, but I wasn't having it. The Commissioner did tell me to watch over her, right? I took her wrist from under the table. She stopped abruptly, almost spinning to face the table. I bit a smile. She looked down, at our hands. Now, I was definitely sure of the light pink that crossed her features. And, to my surprise, she even smiled. I blinked. When she noticed that I was watching her, her eyes widened, the pink becoming a strawberry red. She yanked her wrist in a show of annoyance, but, I could've sworn that her lips twitched. I smiled and turned to the rest of my friends.
"Okay guys,"I started, turning on my responsible leader mode,"We all know why we're here—the scroll."
"We've seen about, a gazillion scrolls hundreds of times,"Kai said,"Why is this so important?"
"Because this maybe the most valuable scroll to us yet,"My mom said, leaning forward to reach for the scroll," About Nadakhan—"
Nya and Jay gasped. We all looked at them, but they had neutral expressions on their face.
"Sorry!", Jay said,"There was a—um—a"
"A bug!", Nya clarified, in a not-at-all suspicious tone,"A—a big bug, on the floor."
Master Wu narrowed his eyes, instantly suspicious.
"Ookayy", I said," So...The Wishmaster."
"Wishmaster?",Zane asked,"I cannot find about this Wishmaster in any of my databases."
My mother nodded grimly," There is very little known about Nadakhan—but all we know so far is that he's a legendary Djinn that can grant wishes to anyone who meets him."
"Meets him?", Cole asked
"Meets him in the sense of, having the Teapot of Tyran in hand,"Zane said,"However, the locations of the teapot are unknown."
"Hey,"Kai said,"Is that him, Nadakhan?"
He pointed to the scroll, which illustrated a rather sketchy picture of him.
"Yes", Mom said
I leaned forward, looking at the picture closely. It looked...really familiar.
"Does...anybody find this as familiar as I do?", I asked the team
Kai, Cole and Zane eyed the picture curiously.
"It does"Cole says in shock
"Jay, Nya?" I asked, turning to them," You haven't said anything about this. Is...something wrong?"
The two of them shook their heads vigorously.
'Wait a second!", I said as an idea flashed in my head,"The picture!"
Everyone turned their heads to it, but Jay stiffened.
"It looks just like the mural paintings that were painted on our monastery walls!"I exclaimed,"Before the monastery was destroyed!"
"You're right!"Cole said, his eyes wide.
"Too bad we can't make sure", Kai said,"Since the monastery exploded, the murals were completely destroyed."
Though they couldn't help it, everyone looked at Harumi, whose face was to the floor. I instantly felt bad for bringing that up. I knew she regretted every single thing she had done in the past. I knew that. The look on her eyes every time she's reminded of her past—It just cracks my heart into two.
"T-That doesn't matter right now,"I said, my voice edgy,"What matters is what exactly do we know about Nadakhan and his wish-making, right?"
I put a hand behind Harumi's back as a reassuring gesture, but she wasn't having it. She shrugged off, avoiding my gaze. I couldn't help but feel a little hurt.
"I-uh, I gotta go,"she said,"uh—see some stuff."
She ran.
"Rumi!", I called, but she didn't stop. I lowered my outstretched hand. Master Wu laid a hand on my shoulder.
We exchanged glances. Master Wu shook his head gently.
I looked down, feeling downcast.
I sighed, making my way to the table. My friends looked down in obvious guilt.
I wasn't having it. I crossed my arms, a sudden anger was fuming inside me.
"Guys, really?", I asked, my tone dangerously clipped. They seemed to be very interested in the floor now.
"We talked about this," I said, making a conscious effort to remain calm. It wasn't easy."She's one of us now."
"Actually, we haven't talked about this, Lloyd,"Kai said, in a slightly annoyed tone," How can you even be sure that she won't turn on us the minute she gets an opportunity?"
"I hate to say it", Nya grunted," but my brother has a point."
"Nya!", I said," you of all people—"
She held a hand up," I'm not saying she'll return to being bad, but...considering all the things she has done, betraying us, hurting you...are you really sure we can trust her?"
I looked at my friends, appalled.
"You all think about her the same way?", I asked, my voice slightly cracked.
Jay, Zane and Cole looked down, confirming their answer.
"Master Wu—
"I don't believe that Lloyd", he assured me quickly," And I'm sure the others do not either."
He shot them a look.
"Neither do I, for that matter."My mom said, placing a hand on my arm. I looked at her before turning to my friends.
"Then let me then ask you all this: What is the greatest way to defeat your enemy?" I asked.
They all remained silent; knowing the answer.
"It is-- to make them your friend", Master Wu finished in a grim tone.
Anger surged through me. I stormed out of the room, leaving them to ponder in silence.